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Phantoms look to cap off perfect volleyball season

Posted on September 16, 2011

By VINNIE RODI

IT’S been a debut season to remember for the MIXX FM Western Phantoms, with the State Volleyball League team – which includes nine Sunraysia-based players in its squad of close to 20 – so far proving the best of the bunch in the Division Two competition.

PERFECT PHANTOMS: Western Phantoms Volleyball team members Adrian Fox and Brad Hassell will compete for the Division Two State League title this weekend in Melbourne.

Set to enter tomorrow night’s Grand Final against Monash University with a perfect record of 13-0 – and having only dropped four sets for the season – Phantoms co-captain, and Sunraysia-based player, Brad Hassell, said the team was looking forward to the Championship game.

“It’s been an unbelievable season for us so far,” he said. “We’re heading to Melbourne focused on performing at our best, and to bring home a State League title would be an enormous achievement.

“To win a title in our first year of competition would be huge, and I’m sure there will be some nerves prior to the game.

“Monash has been the one team who has really pushed us this year, so it should be an exciting game.”

Out of the nine local faces making up the squad, only two Sunraysia-based players will take to the court for the Grand Final, with Brad to be joined by youngster Adrian Fox.

“We actually have one of the largest squads in the State League, with our players coming from Horsham, Bendigo and Sunraysia,” Brad said.

“It’s been great having such a large player base to choose from each week, as it’s given us the opportunity to limit the amount of travelling we have to do on a weekly basis.

“In the case of this weekend’s final, we’re simply putting our best team out there on the night.”

A joint initiative between Volleyball Horsham and the Sunraysia Volleyball Association, the Phantoms were founded by Brad (Mildura), Matthew Berry (Horsham) and Matt Gordon (Bendigo) at the start of the year – with the trio all boasting prior experience playing State League volleyball.

The aim was to introduce a country team into the competition, allowing for Phantom home games to be played in each of three boy’s home towns, while also exposing young, talented volleyballers to a more elite competition.

It’s an initiative that has so far paid off, with the Phantoms buoyed by the support of fans across Mildura, Bendigo and Horsham, with two home games played in Sunraysia attracting solid numbers.

“I was really surprised by the support for those two games,” Brad said. “I think we averaged around the 100-people mark, which is just incredible.

“The support in Horsham has also been phenomenal, and it’s been great playing in front of massive crowds.”

Brad said regardless of tomorrow night’s result, the Phantoms were looking to introduce a secondary men’s team into the competition next year, while also incorporating two women’s teams.

“We’re proven this year that we have the talent to take on the best in the State,” Brad said. “At the moment we’re looking at moving our current men’s team up into Division One, while also leaving a team in Division Two.

“We will also look to do the same with a women’s team, with one group competing in Division One, and another team in Division Two.”

The team will travel to Dandenong, Melbourne tonight, before taking to the court tomorrow.

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